Scotland tees up for China golf event
Seventeen companies from around Scotland will launch a bid to tap into the world’s fastest growing market for golf this week as they travel to Beijing for China’s biggest golf show.
It’s the first time the Home of Golf will be represented at the PGA Merchandise Show, which is expected to attract around 20,000 visitors between Friday 13 and Sunday 15 March.
Golf is becoming so popular in China that a recent white paper estimated one new course will open every 12 days for the next 20 years to meet demand.
A branded stand organised by Scottish Enterprise will feature all 17 companies, including tour operators, golf courses, hotels, colleges, textile companies and product manufacturers. Delegates will be able to take selfies with the Open Championship’s Claret Jug, on loan from the R&A, and attend whisky tasting sessions at the stand’s bar area.
Scottish Enterprise will also stage a series of seminars with speakers including Visit Scotland’s Mike Cantlay, Steve Otto from the R&A and Scottish Enterprise’s head of tourism Graeme White.
Graeme White said: “This is our first foray into what we expect to become a key growth market for Scottish companies, both by attracting Chinese visitors Scotland and by distributing our products and technology in this vast market.
“Our objective for our first show in China is to sell Scotland as a package. Scotland is the Home of Golf, but we have much more to offer, including stunning scenery and castles, sophisticated cities and outdoor adventure. The 17 companies on the stand will work together to showcase our heritage, resources and expertise.”
Those traveling to Beijing this week have completed an orientation course in how to do business in China. Neil Hampton, from Highland Golf Links, is representing a number of Scotland’s top courses, including Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch and Nairn. He said: “We’ve been learning about Chinese culture and how we should conduct ourselves in business in advance of our visit.
“For Scotland’s courses this is an exciting journey into the unknown and a huge opportunity. We are arguably the most powerful brand in golf so can anticipate a boom in the number of Chinese visitors as the golfing population grows.”
Tartan manufacturer Lochcarron of Scotland is one of a clutch of companies travelling to the Show with the objective of growing product distribution in China. Keith Morgan, global sales manager, said: “China is the fastest growing market on earth and this event is an opportunity we simply cannot afford to turn down. We will be displaying a range of Ryder Cup clothing and really telling the story of Scotland.”
Other organisations en route to Beijing include the St Andrew’s Link Trust, which will announce plans to license a golf academy in Simapo Island, Hainan; Elmwood College, which has been involved in golf education in China for 14 years; and Golphin, which designs and manufactures golf clubs for children.